Graham Burke

Graham Burke came to the attention of Villa supporters during an impressive cameo in a pre-season friendly against Walsall at the start of the 2011-12 campaign.

Since then, he has edged closer to a first team breakthrough.

The Republic of Ireland youth international was called up to the first team squad on several occasions last term and made the bench for the Carling Cup clash against Bolton last September and the Barclays Premier League showdown against Liverpool three months later.

Another of Villa's prodigious talents from the Emerald Isle, Burke netted four times in 15 outings for the reserves last season.

He was also a central figure in a brilliant 4-1 win over Rosenborg in the NextGen Series, scoring two goals in the big European encounter at Villa Park.

While Burke spent the first year of his academy scholarship operating mainly as a striker, he spent a lot of his second year in a deep-lying midfield role.

The teenager initially burst on to the scene by scoring the first goal of the club's 2010-11 pre-season campaign.

Burke was only 16 at the time and found himself lining up in a Villa squad featuring the likes of Luke Young, Carlos Cuellar and Marc Albrighton to face non-league Basingstoke.

It had been an underwhelming warm-up game for the claret and blues who slipped to a two-goal deficit before Burke came off the bench and surged into the box to fire past the goalkeeper.

It was a sign of things to come. Burke went on to enjoy a terrific season in the academy league, FA Youth Cup and the Barclays Premier Reserves League, scoring 14 times in total.

His two strikes for the reserves - in victories over Wolves and West Bromwich Albion - came from just three starts.

Burke went on to make a further seven appearances from the bench for Kevin MacDonald's team.

He also chipped in with some important goals en route to the academy league title but it was in the 2010-11 FA Youth Cup where he showed his true quality.

A game-changing cameo from the bench against Peterborough, including a powerful drive across the goalkeeper in extra time, inspired a remarkable Villa comeback.

The Irishman was equally impressive in the following rounds against Leeds United and Middlesbrough with a goal in each.

The manner in which he took his goal against Boro was majestic - a thumping left-foot volley at the back post giving the goalkeeper no chance.